The Mainz-based biotechnology company Biontech wants to introduce its mRNA cancer vaccine, which is currently under development, into everyday treatment in the near future. This was announced by BioNTech CEO Uğur Şahin to the magazine "Der Spiegel". "We believe this will be possible on a larger scale for patients before 2030," Şahin told the magazine.
Gregor Brunner
Editor in business.
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In order to bring the cancer vaccines to market, the company has agreed to conduct clinical trials in the United Kingdom, which are scheduled to begin later this year. At the moment, the vaccine candidates, cancers and locations are being selected. However, the technology is already well advanced, says Şahin. "In 2014, it took us three to six months to produce an individualized cancer vaccine, but now we are at four to six weeks. Our goal is to get well under four weeks."
The company is optimistic about the effectiveness of the vaccines. Physician and BioNTech co-founder Özlem Türeci said the company is currently "researching several mRNA cancer vaccines. For some of these candidates, we see evidence of clinical activity." This means that positive effects of the vaccine can be observed in some patients. This would activate the immune system and the cancer would visibly shrink or disappear completely. According to Türeci, relapses occur less frequently after treatment with the vaccine.
BioNTech has been able to count on fast procedures in the UK in the past. In December 2020, it became the first country to approve BioNTech's mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. The development time of the vaccine at that time was just 11 months.